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Washington and Lee Law School (W&L)
Track decisions and applicant data for the 2021-2022 cycle — 445 applicants reporting.
21-22 · selected
20-21 · previous
ABA 509 (2021): 2,293 apps · 721 offers · 151 enrolled · 31.44% acceptance rate
This school uses "hold" instead of "waitlist" — same thing, different name. 44 applicants are on hold this cycle and are included in the waitlist numbers above.
Detailed Breakdown
Accepted · 197 total (incl. 15 from waitlist) · 6.6% yield
Waitlist · 172 total · 8.7% accepted off WL
Admissions Data
| LSAT & GPA Statistics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | 50th | 75th | |
|
LSAT
(ABA · 2021)
81st percentile
|
159 | 164 | 166 |
| LSAT (LSD) | 161 | 164 | 167 |
|
GPA
(ABA · 2021)
59th percentile
|
3.41 | 3.61 | 3.78 |
| GPA (LSD) | 3.4 | 3.63 | 3.81 |
| Average Statistics by Decision (LSD) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Rejected | All | Accepted |
| LSAT | 159.66 | 163.77 | 165.64 |
| GPA | 3.36 | 3.55 | 3.62 |
| Softs | T3.41 | T3.38 | T3.34 |
| Avg $ | - | - | $98,244 |
| Admissions Metrics (ABA 509) | |
|---|---|
| Metric | Value |
| Applications |
2293
67th percentile
|
| Admission Offers | 721 |
| Class Size |
151
30th percentile
|
| Acceptance Rate |
31.44%
67th percentile
|
| Yield Rate |
20.53%
6th percentile
|
| Application Process Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Avg Days: Sent to Decision | 59 days |
| Avg Days: UR to Decision | 51 days |
| Interview Invite Rate | 0.0% |
| Interview → Acceptance Rate | - |
Decision Timing
Selected Cycle (2021-2022) decisions (solid) vs. 219 decisions from Previous Cycle (2020-2021) (faded). Click the previous cycle in the legend to toggle.
Where Is Washington and Lee Law School Trending?
Historical LSAT, GPA, and acceptance rate data from ABA 509 reports. Rising medians or falling acceptance rates indicate increasing competitiveness.
LSAT and GPA bands show 25th/50th/75th percentiles; acceptance rate is lower = more selective. Click legend items to show/hide metrics.
Overview
90.7% of Washington and Lee Law School graduates secured JD-required employment, with a median private sector salary of $142,000 and a 92.59% first-time bar passage rate (2021 ABA 509 data).
JD Employment Rate
First-Time Bar Pass
Median Starting Salary
Employment Quality
JD Required
BigLaw Placement
Federal Clerkships
School-Funded Positions
Employment Quality Distribution
Law Firm Employment by Size
Employment Quality Matrix
Bar Required ★ 99 (83.9% of class)
JD Advantage 8 (6.8% of class)
Professional 0 (0.0% of class)
Other 0 (0.0% of class)
School-Funded 2 (1.7% of class)
| Employment Type | Full-Time Long-Term |
Full-Time Short-Term |
Part-Time Long-Term |
Part-Time Short-Term |
Total | % of Grads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bar Required ★ | 99 | 0 | — | — | 99 | 83.9% |
| JD Advantage | 7 | 1 | — | — | 8 | 6.8% |
| Professional | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0.0% |
| School-Funded | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 1.7% |
| Total Employed | 107 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 109 | 92.4% |
Generally, if you attend law school, you want to secure a bar-required position. However, at prestigious institutions, students may target specific JD advantage positions such as private equity or elite consulting roles.
Employment by Sector
Sector Details
| Sector | % of Graduates | National Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Law Firms | 61.0% |
85th percentile
|
| Judicial Clerkships | 12.7% |
74th percentile
|
| Government | 6.8% |
19th percentile
|
| Public Interest | 5.1% |
30th percentile
|
| Business | 5.1% |
16th percentile
|
| Academia | 1.7% |
70th percentile
|
Clerkships by Type
| Type | Graduates | % of Class | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | 6 | 5.1% |
84th percentile
|
| State/Local | 9 | 7.6% | — |
Federal clerkships enhance careers in litigation and academia.
Bar Exam Performance
| Metric | Rate | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| First-Time Pass | 92.59% |
81st percentile
|
| Ultimate Pass | 94.59% |
70th percentile
|
| Jurisdiction Weighted | 80.58% | — |
Salary Outcomes
Private Sector
Public Sector
Career Outcomes Summary
Law school tuition at Washington and Lee Law School is $102k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $39k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).
After completing their JD program at Washington and Lee Law School, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $142,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $56,400. These post-law school employment outcomes are important factors for evaluating the return on investment for your legal education.
For law school applicants interested in specific legal career paths, it's worth noting that 61.0% of Washington and Lee Law School JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 12.7% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 5.1% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 90.7% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.
For JD graduates from Washington and Lee Law School, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 92.59%. Within two years, 94.59% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +12.0% compared to the weighted state average. These bar passage metrics are important indicators of how well the law school prepares its students for this crucial professional licensing examination.
Cost of Attendance
Annual Tuition
Annual Fees
Cost of Living
Scholarship & Grant Aid
Students Receiving Grants
Median Grant
Grant Range (25th–75th)
Grant Distribution
Debt & ROI
Avg Debt at Graduation
Graduates Who Borrowed
Debt-to-Salary Ratio
Conditional Scholarships
This school reports no conditional scholarships.
Admissions Contact
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Read moreAbout Washington and Lee Law School admissions
Washington and Lee Law School , commonly known as W&L, is a prestigious JD program located in Lexington, Virginia. In the competitive 2021 law school rankings, Washington and Lee Law School was ranked 35 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. According to the 2021 ABA 509 Report, Washington and Lee Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 151 with an acceptance rate of 31.44%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.
About Washington and Lee Law School Admissions
Based on the 2021 ABA 509 Report, 2293 candidates submitted JD applications to Washington and Lee Law School and 721 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 31.44%.
The JD program at Washington and Lee Law School enrolls a first-year class of 151 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 20.53%. This means that of the 721 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 148 chose to enroll. Understanding these law school admission statistics can help prospective JD applicants evaluate their chances and plan their application strategy.
For a competitive law school application to Washington and Lee Law School, students should aim to meet or exceed the median statistics shown below. Meeting these GPA and LSAT targets significantly improves your chances of admission.
What LSAT score do I need for Washington and Lee Law School?
The above statistics show that Washington and Lee Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 159 (25th percentile) to 166 (75th percentile), with a median of 164.
For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.41 to 3.78, with a median of 3.61.
With an acceptance rate of 31.44%, Washington and Lee Law School is considered a selective law school in terms of admissions.
What these numbers mean
- Percentiles: The 25th/50th/75th percentiles show the distribution of scores among admitted students.
- Applications: Total number of people who applied to this law school.
- Acceptance Rate: Percentage of applicants who received offers (lower = more selective).
- Yield Rate: Percentage of admitted students who enrolled (higher = more desirable).